SAU Comes Back from 19 Down to Beat Point in Overtime, 91-83

Point University (5-14; 1-9 AAC) led 55-36 with 16:06 left in regulation time, but visiting St. Andrews University (2-9; 2-8 AAC) whittled away at the lead, tied the score at 7777 with four seconds left by tallying the last four points of the second half, and forced a five-minute overtime. The Knights outscored the Skyhawks in the extra period, 14-6, and emerged with a 91-83 Appalachian Athletics Conference victory over the Skyhawks, Wednesday, January 10, in West Point Park Gym. Point made a season-high 17 three-pointers in the contest.

The lead exchanged sides seven times and the score was tied four times in the first 13:10 of the first half. St.Andrews led by as many as five points with 16:05 left in the half. Point outscored the Knights, 18-7, in a span of six minutes late in the half and went from a 23-21 deficit to a 39-30 lead with 1:08 left when junior guard Xavier Johnson (Buford, GA) drained a three-pointer. Forward Jean Calvin Ahoume scored all seven of the Knights’ points during Point’s go-ahead run. The Skyhawks held a 3932 halftime advantage.

Point made 10-of-18 three-pointers (.556) but just three of its 15 twopoint shots (.200) in the first half and committed a season-low two turnovers in the first half. St. Andrews made just 2-of-10 three-pointers (.200) and 12-of-23 two-pointers, committed eight turnovers, and out-rebounded Point, 3015, in the first half.

The Skyhawks began the second 20-minute half with a 16-4 run and built their lead to 19 points, 5536, with 16:02 left in regulation time. Point led by no fewer than nine points and by as many as 15 points twice during the next 10 minutes of action. St. Andrews sliced Point’s lead to five points, 68-63, with 4:18 left. Point went ahead 72-63 at the threeminute mark and still led by eight, 74-66 with 2:05 left to play in regulation time.

SAU forward Ben Twigger drilled 2 three-pointers in a span of 56 seconds and brought the Knights back to a 76-73 deficit with 54 seconds to go. After a free throw by senior guard Joshua Tolbert (Auburn, AL) put Point ahead with 23 seconds left, 77-73, Ahoume grabbed an important offensive rebound and scored with 20 seconds left to cut the lead to 77-75, and guard Darius Huff scored in the paint with four seconds left to tie the game at 77-77.

Junior forward Taboris Griggs made a three-pointer 13 seconds into the overtime period, and freshman guard Tyonn Stuckey (Columbia, S.C.) made a free throw 23 seconds later, giving Point an 81-77 advantage. But, while Point missed its next 2 two-point shots and 4 three-point shots, St. Andrews scored 14 consecutive points, seven by guard Christian Lathan and four by Huff, and led 91-81 with 16 seconds left to play. Stuckey scored with seven seconds left for the final 91-83 score.

St. Andrews picked up its shooting in the second half and overtime, making 22-of-39 shots (.564) and 5-of-8 three-pointers (.625) and out-rebounded the Skyhawks, 31-17. Point made 14-of-36 shots (.389) and 7-of-20 three-pointers (.350) but missed eight free throws in 17 secondhalf attempts.

Four Skyhawks scored 12 or more points in the game. Griggs and Stuckey led Point with 18 points each. Griggs, who scored 12 points in the second half, hit 6 three-pointers, gathered three rebounds and had one steal, and Stuckey, who scored 11 in the second half, hit 3 three-pointers, grabbed six rebounds and passed off seven assists. Johnson finished with 15 points, 11 in the first half, made 3 threepointers and also had three rebounds, six assists and three steals. Junior guard B.J. Brown (Powder Springs, GA) finished with 12 points, nine in the second half, and three rebounds, two assists and two steals, and 6-8 junior center Lawrence Castor (Powder Springs, GA) added five points, five rebounds and one blocked shot. Tolbert contributed nine points, one three-pointer and two steals in his first action after missing Point’s last 16 games due to an injury suffered in the second game of the season.

Five Knights scored in double figures, led by Ahoume, who all scorers in the game with 23 points. Ahoume also gathered six rebounds. Twigger made 5 three-pointers for 15 points and had eight rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal, and guard Jourdan Sanders added 13 points, two rebounds and two assists off the SAU bench. Lathan finished with a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds and also passed seven assists and had three steals. Also off the SAU bench, Jeremias Easterling added 10 points and four rebounds.

Point made 27-of-69 field goals (.391), 17-of-38 three-pointers (.318) and just 12-of-22 free throws (.545) and committed 11 turnovers, blocked two shots and stole the ball from the Knights eight times. St. Andrews made 36-of-78 shots (.462), 7-of-24 threepointers (.292) and 12-of-18 free throws (.667) and out-rebounded the Skyhawks, 61-32. SAU committed 16 turnovers and stole the ball from Point five times.